diy frame art treasure ~

Sooooooo ~ my last post was my #oneword365, all about “grace”. And grace has been sorely needed the first weeks of this year. Endless aggravation all month ~ two miserable head colds, more than usual turmoil at work, concern about local and world events, and an ongoing case of blogger burn-out ~ not necessarily in that order. And while I know these are not life changing just yet, they are definitely an energy drain. Letting all that go for a moment to share a quick project that showcases a treasured piece as DIY framed art.

This blog has been a place where I could think, write, and be creative ~ and I’ve done that for many years here in my own way. The competitive side of the blogging world ~ race for page views, fight for social reach, obsessing over SEO and Google analytics, monetization and such ~ not so much ~ but that is a much bigger subject for another time. So I’ve been on a social media break, catching my breath {in spite of TWO head colds and a painful cough} and allowing myself a few weeks of grace. I’m back today with an easy project, that I see morning and night as a reminder of grace.

Bluwatermom gave me this sweet cockle shell guardian angel many years ago at Christmas, and it’s been in the bedroom ever since. I see it before I go to sleep and when I first wake up in the morning, as her banner reads, “An angel to watch over you”. She’s hung from a stand or a hook most of the time, and I decided she needed a more fitting background.

I used a wooden frame salvaged from another project, and went to my tear-sheet file to find a good background. I went straight to the botanicals file {yes, the tear-sheets are saved in categories ~ please don’t judge me} and debated roses, peonies and boxwood.

Roses won out and I zapped a few copies, so I could keep my original sheet. Pretty wrapping paper or scrapbook paper would work nicely as well.

I wanted to float the rose printout in the frame mat, so also used some burlap printed scrapbook paper as a background. Real burlap or some fabric would also be pretty. It’s all about using what you’ve got available, that looks nice together.

A doily edge cut with the craft scissors, and the rose print is floating just inside the mat. A few bits of tape to hold the burlap paper in place, with cardboard and brown craft paper backing to hold it all together in the frame. That’s the standard order of operation when putting something in a frame, just don’t forget to clean the inside of the glass first ~ or you’ll get to redo it. Not that I would know this from experience ~~~

I added one of my small boxwood wreaths on top of the glass to give the angel even more importance. Both the wreath and the angel are hanging in place on top of the glass with small clear command hooks.

Here’s the finished frame hanging back in the bedroom. I also pulled out a faux topiary from the decor closet and trimmed it up with similar ribbon and flowers. Together with a couple of beautiful shells and favorite boxes, it’s bluwaterstyle and a nice change of vignette on top of the tall chest. Even feels a little like spring ~ which cannot come soon enough for me!

My cockle shell guardian angel has a new look as DIY frame art ~ assembled in about an hour, from parts and pieces on hand. I hope she will continue watching over me for many years to come. A reminder of  love and grace ~ she’s a treasure indeed.